A 31-year-old man from Utah has died after being caught in an avalanche while snowmobiling in the mountains of Wyoming on Sunday afternoon.
A Fatal Ride in the Backcountry
Nicholas Bringhurst, from Springfield, Utah, was riding near La Barge Creek in western Wyoming when the freak natural disaster occurred. The Lincoln County Sheriff's Office reported receiving a Garmin InReach emergency notification concerning an injured person in the area at 2.15pm local time, prompting them to contact the Air Idaho response team.
Upon arrival, first responders discovered that Bringhurst had been fully buried by the snowslide. A statement from the Sheriff's Office revealed that Bringhurst’s friend had managed to locate and dig him out before initiating CPR. Despite these desperate efforts, the 31-year-old could not be revived and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Lincoln County Coroner Dain Schwab attended and took possession of Bringhurst’s body. The Coroner’s Office has not yet released an official cause of death.
A Life of Adventure Cut Short
Social media profiles paint a picture of an experienced and passionate outdoorsman. Bringhurst had been snowmobiling for years and frequently shared his adventures online. In October 2021, he posted a photo of a new snowmobile alongside a wedding picture with his wife, Lauren, captioned 'Two new women in my life'.
His feed was filled with action shots and memories of kayaking, white-water rafting, fishing, and hiking across the Midwest. One of his final Instagram posts showed him attempting a flip on his snowmobile before crashing softly into deep powder as friends laughed.
Heartfelt Tributes from Loved Ones
His wife, Lauren McBride Bringhurst, shared a moving tribute on Instagram, writing: 'My Nick. My best friend. My forever summer fling. My husband. My mooring. My home… I’ll miss you forever.'
Friend Jayce Richins remembered him as 'one of the most friendly, funny, courteous, and just all around great people out there'. Richins added, 'He was a hell of a good rider, first person to stop and help if someone was stuck, and always had something funny to say.'
A Dangerous Season for Avalanches
This tragic incident follows another fatal avalanche just two days prior in Washington state. There, a group of four snowmobilers were caught near the Longs Pass trail on Friday afternoon. The Northwest Avalanche Center confirmed that the slide resulted in two fatalities: 38-year-old Paul Markoff and 43-year-old Erik Henne.
In that case, survivors also used a Garmin satellite device to send a distress call, highlighting the critical role such technology plays in remote backcountry emergencies. However, as both tragedies starkly demonstrate, even the best equipment cannot always prevent disaster in the face of nature's raw power.
The back-to-back incidents serve as a sobering reminder of the inherent risks involved in winter mountain sports and the critical importance of backcountry safety awareness and preparedness.
